I'd Tap That A 1 Shot
by MilkMamaReturns
Summary: A unique love story, just in time for Christmas! Humor, Romance, and a Stranded Car!


**_"I'd Tap That"_, a 1Shot  
**

Cam rested her hand on the mouse and moved the little white arrow until it reached the start menu, then turned off the computer. The snow was beginning to come down hard. She grabbed her coat, threw it on and tried to exit the Jeffersonian before any last minute cases were thrown at her.

"Cam!"

She stopped and squeezed her eyes shut. She pursed her lips and turned around. "I have a hot bath and a bottle of Merlot waiting for me. Please don't tell me there's another corpse popcicle needing some TLC?"

Booth slowed. "No. I was just wondering if you were going to be at the Christmas party?"

"Oh, G-d no. Don't get me wrong. I love me some squints, but I need a breath of geek-free air every so often. My Christmas present to me? A mud mask and a hangover."

Booth laughed and rested his hands on his hips. "OK. I guess I'll see you on the twenty-sixth. Merry Christmas, Cam."

"Merry Christmas, Seeley. Is Dr. Brennan going to the Christmas party?"

Booth shrugged. "I don't know. I'm trying to get her to go, but you know Bones."

Cam nodded. She did know. To an extent. Brennan was not exactly the social type. "Good luck with that."

Cam exited the building and trudged through the snow. She was beginning to wish she had grabbed more sensible shoes just for this situation. But Camille Saroyan was not the tennis-shoe type. She didn't even know if she had a pair and she wasn't willing to walk in snow with her Nike running shoes.

She slid her gloved fingers under the door handle and pulled up. At first it didn't budge because the door was frozen, but with a few good tugs, it loosened and the door opened. She turned on the car and let it run for a few minutes. Even with the air on high and the windshield wipers going full-speed ahead, nothing changed and the car remained frozen solid.

She wasn't necessarily a stubborn woman, but she was most certainly not going to beg her ex-boyfriend--who DUMPED her by the way, AFTER she nearly died--to save her. So when he came up to the car and asked her if she needed a ride after all, she turned it down all too readily and watched as Booth and Brennan drove out of the parking lot.

Ten minutes later, she was wondering if she would have to amputate her big toes. She cursed under her breath and got out of the vehicle. She began to pick away at the ice on the windshield with her nails. Her fingers began to ache and turn red. When she reached the point where she wanted to chuck a rock through the windshield just to get home to that bubble bath and wine, a voice made her jump out of her skin. She was certain she was the last one at the museum, so it was more than just a surprise.

"Hey."

She whirled around, her feet slipping from beneath her. He helped her stand again and he laughed breathily. "Holy shit, Hodgins!" She put her hand to her chest. "Why are you still here? I thought you left." She eyed him. "Don't tell me you're robbing the place. Because if you are, I'd suggest you focus your efforts On the Egyptian Exhibit."

He shook his head and grinned at her. "No. I just had to grab my flash drive." He looked behind her. "Car issues?"

Cam laughed, "Issues is an understatement. I think Sweets could give this thing a once-over and it still wouldn't budge."

Hodgins laughed. "Do you have one of those ice scraper thingies?"

Cam's eyes grew a little wider, denoting a smidgen of sarcasm, "Ice scraper thingy. I have total faith in you, Hodgins. Total faith."

"You know, one of those er-er-er-er." He held an imaginary scraper and scraped an imaginary windshield. Then he grinned and held out his arms in defense, "Hey, don't blame me for my lack of knowledge in auto mechanics."

"And who should I blame, exactly?"

"Society, baby."

She narrowed her eyes. "Society made you-- I'm not even gonna touch that one."

"Well, if you want, I can give you..." The look she gave him made him do a 180. "Or not. I think I have an ice scraper--"

"Ice scraper thingy."

"Ice scraper THINGY in my car if you wanna follow me."

She pulled her hat a little lower on her head and followed Hodgins over to his Dodge truck. He opened the door and stood on the running board. He leaned over just enough to let Cam's mind wander just a tad.

She looked toward the sky. Snowflakes fell on her eyelashes. She blinked and looked back just as Hodgins came back down with his scraper in hand. They walked back to Cam's car.

Hodgins began to scrape. "So... what are your plans for Christmas?"

"To avoid Felicia and my father like the plague and get plastered in the comfort and privacy of my own home."

Hodgins gave her a look.

"I'm not a drunk. In fact, the last time I had a drink was two weeks ago. And the last time I got drunk was about a year ago." She crossed her arms over her chest.

Hodgins grinned. "Then you haven't lived. Nothing's better than a migraine and a commode full of vomit all wrapped up with a red velvet bow on Christmas morning."

"That... was poetic."

"I hear the sarcasm in your voice, Cam." He wiped the ice off from the scraper and onto his jeans, then continued to scrape.

"What are your plans?"

"For Christmas?" Hodgins turned around and leaned against the car as he tapped ice from the scraper. "Just about the same as yours. Well, minus the avoiding the family bit. But there'll be some definite porcelain hugging involved. Jesus would be pleased."

Cam leaned against the car beside him. "I forgot about your family."

Hodgins grinned and bumped against her. "Hey, you're my family. You, Angela, Booth, Brennan... Zack. You don't need to share genetics to be family, right?"

Cam didn't quite know how to reply to that.

"Well, uh, why don't you get in and see if it starts up?"

Cam nodded and sat inside of her car. She turned the ignition. It started up, just as before, but it was running low and the AC was spurting out ice cold air onto her feet.

She turned it off and got back out.

"Need a ride?"

"What would make you think that? The car that has a penchant for turning my toes into ice cubes?"

"Nah," Hodgins put his hands on his hips. Snowflakes were lacing his ridiculously long lashes. "It was the fact that it looked like you were sporting blue lipstick there for a little bit."

She smiled and locked the door. They crossed the parking lot.

When they got to the passenger side door, Hodgins helped Cam into the cab of the vehicle. As she got into the truck, Hodgins got a nice look at his boss's butt.

"Wow."

"What?" Cam asked as she sat down.

"Snow. When's the snow gonna let up, you know?"

Hodgins rounded the truck and got in.

"Either God has a bad case of dandruff, or the weather forecaster is going to wake up to a flaming bag of dog crap," Hodgins muttered.

"My money's on the flaming bag of crap. Take a right here. This isn't too far out of your way, is it?"

Hodgins shrugged. "I'll just sell my body for gas money. No big deal."

Cam couldn't help but to think about how much that body really would pull in. She shook her head. Bad thoughts. Technically, good thoughts, but naughty thoughts indeed.

Hodgins pulled up to the townhouse at the end of the street and got out to help Cam out.

He held her hand for a little more than necessary. They realized it at the same time and quickly slapped their hands to their sides.

"Well. Thank you for the ride, Hodgins. I'd ask you up for coffee but that might look inappropriate. Being your boss and all."

Hodgins cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah. Well, Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas."

They stood awkwardly for a moment.

"Uh, let me walk you to your door. You know, make sure you don't fall or anything."

"Good idea. If I broke my ankle, I'd have to leave my Jimmy Choos at home. Wouldn't want that to happen." She turned at the door.

Another awkward moment.

"Thank you for the ride," Cam prompted, wondering if he was going to leave yet.

Hodgins smiled. "Yeah. Merry Christmas." On an impulse, he reached up and brushed a white snowflake away that had clung to her dark lashes. His hand froze in mid-air when he realized that the line had been crossed. She didn't move or say anything. Mostly out of shock. Then he moved close and brushed his lips against hers. There was an unexpected heat in the kiss.

After the kiss broke, Cam said, "I'm not giving you a raise, Dr. Hodgins."

He chuckled and took a step back. "I'm loaded."

She smiled and shook her head. Hodgins walked away, down the steps and into his truck.

Cam watched as he took his exit. When the truck was out of sight, she calmly agreed with an inner voice. "Yeah," she nodded. "I'd tap that."

-------------------

_Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you just enjoyed a unique little Christmasy love story!_


End file.
